Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Barack Obama signed legislation Thursday evening extending several key provisions of the Patriot Act shortly before they were set to expire at midnight .

The provisions -- passed after the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attack -- deal with roving wiretaps , the tracking of alleged `` lone wolf '' terrorists , and the ability of law enforcement officials to obtain records they deem relevant to an investigation after securing an order from a federal court .

The bill passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate earlier in the day .

Obama , currently on a trip to Europe , directed the use of an autopen -- a signature reproduction device -- to sign the measure , according to White House spokesman Nick Shapiro .

The House was forced to briefly delay the start of its Memorial Day recess to vote on the measure . A protracted dispute over the legislation in the Senate , fueled by conservative newcomer Sen. Rand Paul , R-Kentucky , muddied voting schedules .

Paul reached a deal with Senate leaders to allow votes on whether to table two of his amendments . Both amendments failed , and the subsequent Senate vote on the measure to extend the Patriot Act provisions for four years passed easily on a 72-23 vote .

The 250-153 House vote was tighter , with lawmakers on the right and left opposing an extension for various reasons . For example , some members of Congress are concerned about the law 's impact on civil liberties , while others support the law but think it should be made permanent .

One of the three provisions , Section 206 of the Patriot Act , provides for roving wiretap surveillance of targets who try to thwart Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act -LRB- FISA -RRB- surveillance . Without such roving wiretap authority , investigators would be forced to seek a new court order each time they need to change the location , phone or computer that needs to be monitored .

Another provision , Section 215 of the Patriot Act , allows the FBI to apply to the FISA court to issue orders granting the government access to any tangible items in foreign intelligence , international terrorism and clandestine intelligence cases .

The third provision , Section 6001 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorist Prevention Act of 2004 , closes a loophole that could allow individual terrorists not affiliated with specific organizations to slip through the cracks of FISA surveillance . Law enforcement officials refer to it as the `` lone wolf '' provision .

Legislators opposed to the extensions claim that the provisions -- particularly related to wiretapping -- are intrusive and unconstitutional . Supporters argue that they are a critical component of U.S. anti-terror operations .

Paul , a favorite of the Tea Party movement , engaged in a bitter showdown Wednesday with Senate Majority Harry Reid , D-Nevada , who sought to limit the number of amendments that Paul could offer .

Then on Thursday , Paul complained that it was Senate Republican leaders now holding up consideration of his amendments .

In a rare public rebuke of his own party 's leadership , Paul said he was `` disappointed '' by their actions and urged people to contact GOP leadership offices in protest .

`` I 've been working for two long days filibustering the Patriot Act in hopes that we can have a constitutional debate over certain provisions of it and we can try to reform it to take away some of the encroachments on our freedoms , '' Paul said . `` Unfortunately , what we 're finding now is that the Democrats have agreed to allow me to have amendments , but my own party is refusing to allow me to debate or present my amendments . ''

In particular , Paul sought to propose an amendment preventing warrantless access to some gun records . Republican leaders do n't want a vote on his amendment because they are conflicted by it , Paul said .

They do n't want to vote to weaken the Patriot Act by making it more difficult for law enforcement to obtain any information -- including gun records -- related to a terrorism investigation , he said , but they also do n't want to take a vote that could be viewed negatively by gun rights groups .

One Senate Republican leader , Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona , rejected Paul 's analysis but refused to explain why or even if GOP leaders were blocking Paul 's amendment .

After reaching the deal to debate two of his amendments , Paul said on the Senate floor that his motivation was to protect personal liberties rather than to harm the Patriot Act or undermine security in any way .

`` It 's very important that we are always vigilant , that we are eternally vigilant about the powers of government , '' Paul said in arguing for tighter restrictions on the ability of federal investigators to access some gun ownership records .

He went on to complain in general about what he characterized as a federal overreaction to the 9/11 attacks that reduced individual liberty in the name of security . For example , he said , airline travelers are all considered possible terrorists and screened for security reasons ; he described such a strategy as a `` shotgun '' approach .

`` Are we so afraid that we 're giving up all of our liberty for security ? '' Paul asked , calling for tighter restrictions on what the government can investigate without a search warrant .

However , fellow conservative Sen. Saxby Chambliss , R-Georgia , said Paul 's amendment to end warrantless access to gun records would hinder the government 's ability to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States .

`` I do n't understand why we would take this tool away from national security investigators , '' Chambliss said , adding that there have been `` no reports that the government has ever used these provisions to violate anyone 's Second Amendment rights . ''

CNN 's Deirdre Walsh , Ted Barrett and Dana Bash contributed to this story .

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Three key Patriot Act provisions were to expire at midnight Thursday

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President Obama directs the use of an autopen to sign the measure

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The House and Senate pass the measure to extend the provisions for four years

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The Senate vote is delayed by a dispute fueled by newcomer Rand Paul